The Spell Is Broken, Not The Promise
by AskForXYZ
Summary: Set (probably) after the manga. An 18 year old Nagi comes face to face with the truth behind the words, "I want you. I want you very badly". The bonds between the butler and his mistress are put to the test. Could those be bonds of eternal love? Nagi x Hayate
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello! This is my first ever Hayate The Combat Butler fic, requested by _00Mina-san_. I welcome constructive criticism with wide arms. For example, "The proper syntax has not been used in line number 47", "You misspelled 'hamburger'", "The dialogue does not suit the situation", etc. Rants do not count as criticism and will not be entertained. For example, "Stfu! Athena x Hayate ftw! Die haterz!", "Go to hell! Ayumu x Hinagiku ftw!", "Rot u pig! Klaus x Tama ftw!", etc.  
I apologize beforehand for any canon errors you notice in my fic. Actually, I had not read the manga or seen the anime before I received the request for this story. When I decided to give this a try, I watched the first season of the anime and did some research. My information is limited in a lot of ways. Things you need to know about this story:  
-This takes place (supposedly) after the end of the manga.  
-Nagi is 18 years old in this fic and still unaware that Hayate actually wanted to kidnap her.  
-She may seem a bit OOC, but that's because she has matured a bit in all these years.  
-She has regained the vast Sanzenin fortune.  
-She broke up her engagement with Wataru.  
Anyway, I hope that you will like the story. Feedback is always appreciated. Thank you. :D

* * *

_Nagi (to Hayate): I should call you whenever I feel like it, right? _

* * *

**[Nagi speaks…] **

"Let go off me, you filthy creep!", I shriek as loud as I can. But my attacker has already tied my hands behind my back. I struggle to kick him but I am too slow and he blocks me efficiently. I can't see his face which is hidden by a kerchief wrapped around it. But, I can clearly see the lust in his eyes. I flinch at the intense stare directed at me. There is no one in the alley too. My eyes widen in horror as I hear him unzip his pants. Oh god, no… Desperately, I send my SOS, **"HAYATE!"**  
The pervert slaps me a bit too hard, "Shut up, you little bitch!". He turns me over with force and pushes my body against a damp wall. I am already crying by now. _'Hayate, please… please, save me. Hayate, please'_. WHAM! I poke my head up as a familiar presence fills the air. It is him! My Hayate! I turn around to look at him. I am too stunned to say anything. So, I just watch my boyfriend beat the crap out of that jerk! Yeah! Boy, Hayate can sure be menacing when I am in danger. He is kicking and punching the lecher as if he is a frigging punching bag which you could throw on the floor and stomp on. I watch them in silence for five minutes, which is all the time Hayate consumes to knock out that creep. He turns around and our eyes meet. I burst into tears, "Hayate!". As soon as he unties my hands, I hug him tightly. "You came… you came to save me. Oh, Hayate, I was so scared!". He pats my head and tries to move away a little, "I was scared too. Are you alright, Mistress?". "I am now", I don't let go off him. But, why is he trying to move away from me? It strikes me then. I am not a little girl anymore and my breasts are touching Hayate's chest. Embarrassed, I let go of him and take a step back. I timidly look up at him and can't help breaking into a smile. Hayate looks so cute when blushing. He soon regains his composure and extends a hand towards me. "Shall we go home now?", his sincere smile. I love that smile! I nod happily.

My useless unit of bodyguards carries the rapist jerk to the police. Hayate and I sit in a black limousine which will take us back to the mansion. I watch the view outside the window. Normally, I would have thought it was boring. But after all these years, I realize that those dimly lit streets and those 'poor' areas had a much more meaningful story behind them. They were home to many. Lots of people and lots of memories. I find it very intriguing how life changes you with every surprise. A few years ago, I was a selfish, insecure, stubborn little girl surrounded by people who had devoted themselves to look after me. Nothing much has changed though, has it? It has, actually. I have learned to appreciate the small things life offers us every day. I have become so enchanted by the beauty of everything around me that I am going to join an art school this year. I have finished my university exams and it's such a relief. I am going to study at the best Art School in New York. And that too with Hayate! He is going to enroll in a business school there. Thankfully, his English has improved significantly over the years. We are just waiting for our results to be declared. Once that is done, we can apply for the Art School and the Business School. It's going to be amazing. Me and Hayate, in America.

I look back at Hayate who has been quiet all this while. I sigh and say,  
"I am sorry. I shouldn't have gone out alone like that"  
"This is the 17th time in this month that some pervert has tried to harass you. Your popularity among lechers and young men is growing immensely and is now equal to that of your kidnappers. You should be more careful, Miss Nagi"  
"Look, I am really sorry. I just did it because that stupid Wataru said I was a scaredy cat. He said that I couldn't even get home alone by myself. I was pretty confident that my sense of direction had improved over the years, but turns out, it hasn't"  
"I had told you to call me when you wanted to come home"  
"I said that I am sorry. Come on, Hayate. And hey, how did you even find me?"  
"It's the new Locate Miss Nagi software which Ms. Makimura has developed at the lab. Did you forget about it?"  
"No, not really. Anyway, thank you for saving me again, Hayate"  
"It's my pleasure. But, you really need to listen to me, Mistress. You are not a child anymore", he looked away.

He has been saying that a lot lately. Could it be that Hayate is jealous of all the male attention I am getting? I can't blame him for that. Ever since I hit puberty, I have been growing rapidly. I am now the youngest yet the tallest girl in my class. Not a midget anymore, nuh-uh. Also, my feminine assets have been developing too. And my hair has never been longer and silkier! I am pretty full of myself, I am aware of that. Yet, Hayate has not changed at all. He is 21 years old now, but he still has those girly features. But, he seems more buff than his teen years. I am just glad that he doesn't treat me like a child anymore. Losing the Sanzenin fortune was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. After Hayate, of course. We had to move into a small apartment, face hardships like normal people and learn things useful for survival! Two people never left my side even in times of crisis – my dearest Maria and my lovely Hayate. Living there with these two taught me a great deal. In fact, it has shaped me into a better person. I do feel like throwing a tantrum every now and then. But, I don't do it. Because on my 18th birthday, Hayate said to me, "You have turned out to be very mature, Mistress. And I am really proud of the person you have become". I do not want to change his opinion about that. Ever. He has been with me through times thick and thin. He even helped me regain the stupid Sanzenin fortune by finding a King's jewel, as I had broken the one I possessed in order to protect Athena. The sweetest thing is – Hayate did it for me. He did not expect any favor in return. I even told him that he was free of his debt now, but he refused to leave, just as I thought he would. So, we finally got 'home' and resumed our old lives. It still feels like a dream, but one that came true.

Meanwhile, we reach home soon and I get out of the car. "Careful", Hayate holds up my golden locks which are about to be stuck in the car door. It has been a big, tiring day. I just want to get into my jammies and doze off.

I wake up at 2:00 am, hungry and famished. I had a quick dinner and a long sermon by Maria before I went to sleep. My stomach growls. "Must… find… food", I sigh. I think about waking up Maria to bring me something to eat, but I choose not to. I am a big girl now and big girls don't depend on others for everything. They get their own food from the refrigerator! Yes. I smile. Maria will be so proud when I tell her about this in the morning. I put on my fluffy sneakers and take a step away from the bed. Ugh. My stomach hurts. I keep walking and stop only when I see a shadow. Maria's shadow. I look back at the bed to see that she is not there. What could she be doing so late at night? I move a bit forward and see that she is talking to Hayate. I quickly hide behind the door. Hayate is saying,  
"I am sorry to disturb you, but I couldn't wait till morning to discuss it. It's killing me"  
"I am sorry, I forgot. What is it?"  
"It's about Miss Nagi. I told you"  
"Oh. That…"

My heart skips a beat. Is he planning something for just me and him? That would be so awesome! I listen attentively,  
"I just feel so guilty. I can't keep lying to her anymore"  
"But, you are not lying, Hayate. You are just hiding the truth"  
"It's wrong. Miss Nagi deserves to know the truth"

Wha… Is he going to break up with me?! But, why?!  
"Look, Hayate. You know how Nagi is. She might not be a brat anymore, but she is still very sensitive. She won't trust you ever again if you tell her the truth"  
"I didn't even know that was how she had analyzed our first meeting! She thinks that I love her, although the truth is that I wanted to use her…"  
"Hayate…"  
"I was so desperate that I wanted to kidnap her! She interpreted my words differently and saved me from my horrible life. Am I not violating her trust now, Maria? I am not who she thinks I am. I am just a jerk taking advantage of the Mistress' feelings for me. She saved me! And I just 'used' her"

I wonder if someone can pin point the exact moment when their heart breaks into a thousand pieces. I can. It was that moment for me. He said that he never loved me. Hayate said he never loved me.  
"He… he never… loved me?", I murmur, over and over. I do not want to hear anything else. Tears flowing out of my eyes, I run to my room. He doesn't love me, he never did.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A big thanks to all the readers for appreciating this story. And a special thanks to **Kiraranger **for helping me get the canon details right. If there are still some mistakes, feel free to bring those to my notice. The first chapter has been rewritten. You could read it to understand the changes in this chapter. Thanks again. :D

* * *

_Hayate (about Nagi): I admit that life is never easy, but I have the one who saved me from that. _

* * *

**[Hayate speaks] **

"Man, looks like it's going to rain soon", I sigh as I close the window. I turn my back at the not-so-bright scene and stretch my arms. I walk to the bathroom for a morning shower and my mind plays over the same morning thoughts,  
_'There is nothing new to do around the mansion today. It's vacation time, so Miss Nagi will be sleeping for longer than usual. That means there won't be any disaster to deal with till early afternoon. What else? I have to go through that Business School's application form again. There will probably be some guests over today. Also, I have to take the Mistress to Miss Isumi's place for a sleep-over. Now that I think about it, she has been having a lot of those sleep-overs lately. She used to be such a couch potato back then. Well, back then, she was a little girl. Now she is a well developed, charming young lady'_.  
I halt abruptly when I realize I said **'well developed'**. And I am in the shower. I curse myself,  
"What's wrong with you, you jackass?! Thinking about Miss Nagi in the shower! You are pathetic, Hayate! But… it's not that I thought of her… that way. I wouldn't do that. Because… well, because… she is my Mistress. And that would be wrong. Right? Aaargh! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

Banging my head against that wall really hurt. Later, I am doing my push-ups when out of the blue, I start reminiscing about the changes in our lives over the years…

We had moved into an average apartment after Miss Nagi lost her fortune. Those days were tough for all three of us. What was more tough, was to see Miss Nagi failing effortlessly as she tried to learn the ways of the commoners. Neither I nor Maria is sadistic, so it was not a fun thing to see the Mistress breaking down every evening due to her latest failure. In fact, we both wanted to find a way to get her back into the life of luxury she was born for. Sure, we hoped that she would at least learn to appreciate the things she always took for granted. But, an opportunity to redeem the prestige and the fortune presented itself soon. Grandpa Sanzenin said that he would return Miss Nagi to her exalted state if she found another one of the King's jewels. After a dangerous series of misfortunes and heroics, we were finally able to gain that piece of treasure. We were back to the old life, with the Mistress' hardships coming to an end. In the beginning, many of us assumed that the Mistress had gone crazy as she was acting way too differently than before. It took us all quite some time to get used to it, but we welcomed all those positive changes in her personality. She didn't mope around anymore. She tried to do her work by herself. She became an early riser. She started attending school regularly. She even began to understand other people's sufferings. To my surprise, Ayumu and she became very good friends. It was, in fact, Ayumu who helped her a lot. And, Hinagiku as well. Both of them taught the Mistress the things she would need to know to survive at least an hour on her own. Ayumu and Hinagiku…

I don't think I would have ever guessed it. But, Hinagiku and Ayumu –both of them liked me! I mean, they still do. I can't understand why they would fall for a broke butler like me. It's true that they are both very good friends of mine and I would do anything for them. But, I do not 'like' them in a romantic sort of way. Honestly, my life has no place for romance. I was willing to create that place for Athena, before she left me with another mysterious conversation...

"_Why do you have to go? Just stay"  
"Hayate, I don't have to, but I need to go"  
"I… Athena…"  
"You may miss me for some time but soon it will fade away. You know why? Because I am no longer the most important woman in your life"  
"What are you talking about? You know that I love you"  
"Fine. I will ask you again then. Nagi freed you from the debt, but you chose to stay. Will you turn back on that decision and come with me?"  
"I can't, Athena. It's not just about the debt. Miss Nagi has done so much for me that I can't just leave her alone like an ungrateful wretch"  
"She is more precious to you than I am"  
"Why do you have to complicate it so much? I can't leave the Mistress because that would be wrong"  
"No, Hayate. In time, you will know why you can't leave her"  
"A-tan…"  
"Have a good life, Hayate" _

And a parting kiss. Just like that, Athena left me and never came back. I pined for her. I truly did. But, she was right. It faded away with time - 4 years.

The big thing is, I received a major shock yesterday. I was tending the rose plants in the garden when I saw Tama sprawled on the green grass. He looked like he was reading something. I was sure that it must be something perverted. So, I snatched it from him and took a good look. I tried to figure out what book it was; it definitely was not a magazine. It seemed like a diary. I was about to scold Tama when I realized he had already run away. Though my mind kept telling me it was wrong and that I shouldn't do it, I took a peek at the first page. I instinctively opened the book fully when I read,  
"HAYATE"  
I began reading. Well, it was about me. So, I guess, I had the right to read it. I flipped the page,  
"He said that he wanted me. He is really very cute. And strong too. I hired him as my butler today. Boyfriend/butler. I like that"  
_'Boy-what?'_, I was 'astonished'. The word surprise wouldn't suffice. I read further and my guts shrieked. **"WHY DOES THE MISTRESS LOVE ME?!"**

I kept thinking about it all day.  
_'The Mistress loves me. She misunderstood what I said to her when I first met her. Did she do all this for me just because she thinks I love her?'_  
My conscience kept telling me that I should come clean as soon as possible. But, I would hurt her very badly if I did that. And what if she wants to take the 'relationship' to the next level?! She is not a kid anymore. I knew that I was in dire need of some good advice. So, I decided to talk about this to Maria. After a regular day, where Miss Nagi got lost and almost molested, I came back home with a firm decision to tell Miss Nagi the truth before I confused her even more. I just needed to figure out the least dangerous way to say that.

I knocked on her door at night. She still shares her room with Maria, to whom I needed to talk urgently. Maria opened the door and we moved a few steps away from the room. I told her everything. It was bugging me so much. I felt like a cheap excuse for a human being who uses someone as generous as Miss Nagi for his selfish motives. Somehow, Maria did have a point. She said that by revealing the truth so suddenly would only lead to the Mistress being more hurt. She suggested that I should wait for a special occasion. Something like my birthday or when I am on the brink of dying. Then, she will at least take pity on me. It did have some substance to it. I thanked Maria for her help and left for my chamber. It felt like a load had been eased off my shoulders. _'That's right. There is no need to hurry'_, I thought.

I finish up my regular chores and greet Maria on the way to the main drawing room. She looks a bit nervous. I am about to talk to her but she walks away briskly to the kitchen. Strange. I then walk to the drawing room and to my surprise, Miss Nagi is standing there in the middle of the room. I greet her warmly,  
"Good morning, Mistress. You are up early. You should have slept for an hour more. It's just 7:00 am"  
She doesn't reply nor does she look my way. She just stands there like a mortified victim. Her eyes look bloodshot and are heavily swollen. I ask her,  
"Mistress, are you alright? You look…"  
"Hayate"  
She is still not looking my way. And the way she said my name, it almost seemed like a dead whisper. She is not her usual self today. I wonder what's wrong. She says in a cold voice,  
"Your debt to me has been paid. Within an hour, you will receive legal documents which confirm that. You are now being honorably discharged from your duty as a Sanzenin butler. You will also receive a recommendation letter from us for any other job you apply to and a complimentary apartment for you to live in. Tojou, please escort Hayate-kun out of the mansion"  
It takes me a minute to understand what she says. It is unbelievable, after all! I realize it's not a nightmare when her bodyguards begin to walk towards me. I find myself stammering,  
"Hayate-KUN? M-mistress, what is going on? What…"  
Tojou and the other SPs come and grab me by the sides. I struggle to get free. It wouldn't do any good to hit them. They are just following orders. Frustrated beyond belief, I keep asking her what I did wrong. She says monotonously,  
"Thank you for your service, Hayate-kun. And for the memories too. Good bye"  
She just turns away and runs off to her room. I keep shouting,  
"Mistress, what has gotten into you?! Hey, let me go! I need to talk to her! Mistress! Mistress! **Mistress!**"


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This is the third chapter, you lovely folks! :D  
I am very, very happy with the response this story has received. And it keeps motivating me to do better and better. Thank you so much!  
In case you don't know it already, 'Sakayuki' is a famous Japanese love song by Sakomoto Kyu. And I couldn't help making a short & sweet reference to it as I type this and listen to the song while it rains outside my window. ^_^  
Also, Shouma Wataya is an OC character who plays a main role in the earlier chapters of this story. You will read more about him in the next chapter. :D

Feedback: Many thanks to '_guest', yaz, Chihaya-chan, Nagi592, Kiraranger, xX little kagami Xx_ and _Nagi592_ again for their lovely reviews. Much love!

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_Hayate (referring to Nagi): I don't want to lose her, and I don't want to leave her side again. _

* * *

**[Hayate speaks] **

It has been three days since the Mistress fired me; or as she said, 'honorably discharged' me from my job as a Sanzenin butler. I have been given a new apartment in one of the elite districts of Tokyo. It is well furnished and much, much better than my old apartment. But, it is so far away from the mansion. In three days, I have visited the mansion more than nine times to meet Miss Nagi and clear the misunderstanding if there's any. But, she refuses to see me. The guards have been told to not let me enter the Sanzenin estate or even see her somewhere outside. I haven't been able to figure out yet why she doesn't want to see me anymore. I don't remember doing something so despicable.  
So, here I am, at my new apartment – without a job and without my Mistress. It is peculiar though that as soon as it became public that I was no longer Miss Nagi's butler, hordes of people crowded outside the mansion to apply for that post. And I have received job offers from Miss Nagi's friends, like Miss Izumi, Miss Sakuya and others. I am not going anywhere though. I am a Sanzenin butler, Miss Nagi's butler. And there's no way I'm letting someone change that.

I venture out of the apartment in the morning. I am headed towards the supermarket where Maria and I used to go shopping for vegetables and groceries. I have been eating nothing but ramen since three days. I received my clearance check of $10,000 in the mail today, might as well buy something and cook a proper meal. As I walk towards my destination, I can't help thinking about the Mistress. She has undergone so many changes through the years. We had our disagreements, our little fights; she also sold me to Miss Izumi once. It was never so serious though. Now that I think about it, I have never been apart from Miss Nagi for so long. It is weird and different. It is something else too. I can't pin point it, but it's something. I… I feel like I am stranded, which is strange because I don't remember the last time I felt this way. Maybe it's because I have grown accustomed to Miss Nagi's presence. Her silly demands, her terrible manga, her confusing statements, her sincere smile, her eyes which are full of love and kindness, but people seldom notice her generous attitude. She might have been a spoilt brat in the past. Even then, she was pure of heart and loving in nature. At a very young age, she promised a lonely white tiger cub that she would take care of him all her life. She still does. She doesn't like to admit it, but she can sympathize with people's pain. Maybe that is what I miss – being by her side and sharing my life with her.

I have to think of a way to get my job back. If not that, I need to know why I am suddenly so unwanted to her. What could it be? I know now that she loves me. Maybe she doesn't love me anymore. Maybe that maniac Shouma finally managed to woo her. I had told her to stay away from him! And she did. Did she? My head hurts with so much thinking. Alright. Let's see. Even if the Mistress is now in love with Shouma, she had no reason to fire me. But, she thinks that I love her too. So, to avoid the supposed heartache I would feel on seeing her with Shouma, she fired me. Yes! That could be it. Seriously though, I had told her that Shouma is a psychopath and she should maintain a healthy distance from him. Why did she not listen to me? Wait. They both have their vacations now. They couldn't possibly meet at the university. Everything was fine before the vacations. Hm… Whoa! Those sleep-overs… what if she used to slip away to meet Shouma after I dropped her at the designated place? And maybe that rascal took away her virginity and now she has no option but to be his girlfriend! Th-this can't be happening. I am going to kill that prick when I see him. **How dare he do this to my innocent Mistress?!**  
On-lookers gape at me as I break a concrete post with a punch out of frustration. I continue walking towards the supermarket.

"A pork chop, please", I say to the butcher. I have calmed down significantly to notice that this place is not crowded as usual today. I look around in the hopes of seeing Maria. Maybe she can tell me what's going on. She was behaving strangely too that morning. She is usually near the vegetable stands. "Here", the butcher disturbs my thoughts and hands me the parcel. I pay him and walk to the spices' section. I should buy some hot sauce to go with this. And some cinnamon sticks for aroma. Someone bumps into me from behind and I hear her say, "Sorry". She walks up to stand next to me and I see that it's Maria. Thank goodness. She seems surprised,  
"Hayate?"  
"Maria. Hi"  
"I didn't expect to see you here"  
"Yes. I just… I just came to shop for some lunch ingredients"  
"Me too"  
We move from one section to another, accompanied by an awkward silence. I must ask her. I walk with her as she is purchasing fruits. She says,  
"How is your new apartment?"  
I pause before saying,  
"It's great. I also received a clearance check today"  
"Yes. Every Sanzenin employee gets one after he retires or is transferred"  
"But, I have not retired or transferred. I have been fired"  
She mutters,  
"That's partially not true, right?"  
She quickens her steps as she walks to another section. I catch up with her,  
"Maria, can I talk to you for a minute?"  
She looks at me sympathetically before smiling,  
"Why not?"

We are sitting on a bench aside the street. Our shopping bags are between us. I break the silence,  
"How is Miss Nagi?"  
"She is fine"  
You can easily see it when Maria is lying. She avoids eye contact and speaks at a higher volume. I say,  
"How is she 'really', Maria?"  
"She… is different"  
"Different?"  
"She had a meeting with some lawyers yesterday"  
"What for?"  
"In case of her death, everything she owns should be equally distributed to all the charities in Japan. But, anonymously"  
"Really?"  
"Yes. She has also changed her decision regarding the Art School. She is going to join a Business School in Washington now"  
"What?! But why?!"  
"I told you, she is different now"  
"Why would she do all this?"  
"I wish, I knew. Maybe then I could stop her"  
"Is she… is she seeing someone?"  
"Hm?"  
"Is she dating that Shouma, who studied with her at the university?"  
"Oh. Mr. Wataya, you mean. I wouldn't call it dating, but he invited her to a fancy ball. She will be attending it this evening"  
"I knew it!"  
"What?"  
"Nothing. Say, do you know why she fired me?"  
She sighs,  
"Do you remember our conversation that night? Nagi heard a part of it, the part where you say you don't love her"  
"Oh", it strikes me, "That's why she is mad at me"  
"No, Hayate. She is mad at herself"  
"Well…"  
"You should try to move on. She is trying too. It will be the best for both of you"  
"But, I don't want to, Maria. Being her butler is the best thing I can do. Why do I have to let go off that?"  
"You **were** her butler. Now, you are just an ex-employee"  
"Y-yes. You are right"

It's true. And she is in love with that Shouma now. That's why she can't stand me being around. But, it's not fair. I mean… I don't know what I mean. I am just too baffled to say something clever. There is something I have always wanted to ask Maria though. This might be the right opportunity to ask her that. I look ahead,  
"Maria, don't take this the wrong way, but, did you ever 'like' me? In 'that' sort of way?"  
She is surprised but she smiles,  
"No. What put that thought in your head?"  
"I don't know. Too many ladies I know have a secret crush on me. I thought, maybe you did too"  
She giggles,  
"Don't flatter yourself, Hayate-kun. Besides-", she winks, "You are not my type. I like intellectual men, not thick-headed boys"  
We smile at each other in good humor. It's true that I am thick-headed. The same thick-headedness cost me my job and Miss Nagi's company. If I were not like this, there wouldn't have been so much misunderstanding and heartbreak for Miss Nagi. I would change that about myself if I could, just to be there for her.

Maria and I sit there in silence, watching the people flood the streets. I try to sound as normal as I can,  
"You should go now. I guess, Miss Nagi has forbidden you and others from talking to me"  
Maria gets up,  
"No. The only person she has forbidden from talking to you, is herself"  
I am stunned. _'The only person she has forbidden from talking to you is herself'_. I watch quietly as Maria says goodbye and walks away with her bags. I turn around and walk back to the apartment. The bag in my hand seems as heavy as my footsteps. It begins raining. But, I am unable to move faster. I keep walking desolately. Miss Nagi's beautiful face comes to my mind and her cheerful voice rings in my ears,  
_'Hayate'_  
I hear a radio playing _'Sakayuki'_ as I keep walking. I glance at the mocking radio, but I can't help thinking about the Mistress and our time together; all those memories being my favorite ones. Still, as Sakomoto-san would, I have to keep my head high to not let the tears fall.  
_'I am sorry, Mistress. So sorry'_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Hayate the Combat Butler.

Feedback: Thank you to everyone who reviews this story. It means a lot to me when someone reads my story and gives their precious time to drop a review. Thank you for adding the story to your favorites and following list. I appreciate it very much. :D

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_Nagi: Words are imperfect. Putting it in words will just create misunderstandings. Words are the root of misunderstandings. _

* * *

"A drink, Miss?", a waiter asks me. I shake my head slightly, "No, thanks."  
"You look beautiful, Miss Nagi!", a guest compliments me. "Thank you", I smile and keep walking.  
I walk slowly to the balcony as I don't wish to stumble and fall while wearing this stupid evening gown. The breeze brushes against my face as I keep walking. I rest my forearms on the ledge and look below.

I am finally alone. The crowd and the air with a strong hint of musk and feminine perfumes – it made me so uncomfortable. I had to slip away for a moment of fresh air. I am standing in the balcony and looking at the giant maze in Shouma's garden. We have a bigger one at the mansion. Heck, I even got lost in it once. It was Hayate who found me… then too. I sniff hard and take deep breaths. It will create a huge scene here if someone sees my mascara flowing all over my cheeks.  
"Don't", I scold myself. I have promised myself that I won't cry anymore for that jerk - that stupid, stupid, selfish Hayate. I cried a river that night. The last thing I want at the moment is to repeat that when I am at a party as populous as this. I can't help thinking about it though…

I was curled up in my bed, my pillow soaked with tears. A knock on the door shook me out of my tragic state.  
"Come in", if it had been Hayate, I would have killed him then and there. But, it was Maria. I didn't even turn over to look at her. I heard her place some chinaware on my bedside table.  
"I saw you coming back inside the room and so, I brought you some food. You never get up at night unless you are hungry", she said warmly. I sat up straight, but with a dead appetite.  
Maria looked at my swollen eyes,  
"Oh, Nagi. What's wrong?"  
I jerked my head away. I studied her face and looked at her pleadingly. "You knew?", it was almost a whisper.  
Her mouth opened in surprise, "I…". She looked away pitifully but confessed, "I am sorry. But, Nagi…"  
"You too, Maria?!", I was unable stop another gush of tears.  
She tried to explain, "But, you were so happy. I didn't want you to…"  
I interrupted her again, "I made a fool out of myself for over five years and you never stopped me! I kept living a lie and you hid the truth from me. You, the only person I thought would never let me down. Why did you do that, Maria? Do you hate me too?"  
"No!", Maria exclaimed, "Please don't say anything like that, Nagi. I just wanted you to be happy"  
"Do I look happy to you?", I asked bitterly and sobbed, "Tell me, Maria – do I?"  
Maria shed a tear too, "I am sorry… very sorry".  
Despair taking over anger, I hugged her and cried my heart out. What else could I do when all those precious years, suddenly seemed just a blur? Maria tried her best to console me, but it didn't work.  
I asked her, choking embarrassingly, "Am I really such a bad person that everyone gets a chance to hurt me?"  
"No, you are not", she said and shook her head. We stayed like that for a while. From a thousand things I thought that hour, one thing was very clear. Keeping Hayate chained to me did not even mean anything. Besides, _"If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was and is not meant to be" _– that's what they say, right? I wiped my tears and said with resolution,  
"Maria, I don't think that I can be around him anymore"  
"I understand", she said.  
I rose, "Then what do I do?"  
She stroked my hair like an elder sister, "You are the one who hired him. Any final say in this matter should be yours"  
"Yes. Y-you are right", I said. She asked,  
"What are you going to do?"  
"Take back my love"

I am not saying that it was easy, but I did it. Even though I felt like a raven was gnawing at my own heart, I did it. I 'honorably discharged' Hayate from his job. He is no longer my butler. Nothing ties him to me anymore. He doesn't have to put up with me now. He doesn't have to come to my rescue every now and then. And I… I don't have to live a fantasy. This is real. This is the truth. He doesn't love me and we do not belong together. I have to find my own happiness, even if it means pretending Hayate never existed. The only reason I am here at this ball is because I need to keep my mind occupied at all times. I can't risk the chance of letting thoughts about Hayate sink in. I will just have to put up with all this till my semester begins at the Norrington Business School in Washington. Yes, I am not going to an Art School anymore. What was I thinking anyway? I can't possibly become an artist. It is much more realistic and practical to learn skills which will be necessary for me to take care of the Sanzenin family business. In fact, old fart Mikado was very happy when he learned that I was going to a business school. I don't care. I just want to change myself completely. I don't want to go back to the way I was. I don't want to cry anymore. I don't want to hurt anymore. I am going to resurrect those walls around me again. I am never ever giving someone the power to rip my heart out and fling it across the horizon. I am not going back to being so vulnerable.

Despite my efforts, a wretched tear escapes my right eye. I dab quickly at it. I straighten up and adjust my shoulder strap. I hear Shouma's voice behind me,  
"Nagi?"  
I force a smile and turn around. I say,  
"Hey"  
He smiles gently. 'Gently' is not so much gentle with Shouma. His smile always looks cunning and malicious, as if he is holding in some evil desire. Shouma Wataya - all the girls fawn over him and his physique, but he never really seemed all that attractive to me. He is definitely good looking, but well, he is just not my type. Then again, what is my type? Kind, innocent, hard headed, strong, skilled, cute and… I sigh,  
_'Stop thinking about him already. It has been three days. People accomplish so much in three days. Can't you forget a stupid butler? Although, he was not just a…'_  
"Are you alright, Nagi?", Shouma steps towards me. I look up at him. He is at least a foot taller than me. I say,  
"I am fine"  
"Well then", he takes my hand in his and kisses the back, "May I have the honor of dancing with you?"  
"I don't have anything better to do, I guess", I smirk. He grins,  
"I love that sass, Miss Sanzenin. Let's grace the dance floor with it now"

My hand is in Shouma's. We are both wearing gloves or I am sure I would have felt the heat emanating from his big hands. He is strong, big and intimidating. We met at the university. Shouma has been interested in me since the first day. But, Hayate told me to stay away from him. And I, being the stupid little puppet, I thought that he was just acting like a possessive boyfriend. Honestly speaking, one of the reasons why I have agreed to spending time with Shouma is because Hayate disapproves of him. Maybe it is the only reason. So what? It is not like Hayate is my boyfriend or he was. I can do whatever I want. I hold Shouma's hand tighter. He raises an eyebrow and smiles at me,  
"You are a stunner"  
"Thanks. You are not too bad either"  
"We look great together, if I can say so myself. Your hand in mine – it seems perfect, Nagi", he says.  
I wish that's the way it was. Maybe then I wouldn't feel so lost, so stranded. I wonder if the blue haired boy is missing me. I curse myself again for thinking about him. I have no place in his life. There's no reason for him to miss me. He must have forgotten me completely by now.

Everyone makes way as Shouma and I walk hand in hand to the centre of the hall. He looks at his butler, Kazo, and nods. Kazo says something to the musicians. Their singer smiles widely and says into the mic,  
"Ladies and gentlemen, the first dance of this evening, let's put our hands together for Master Shouma and Miss Nagi Sanzenin"  
This is so embarrassing. Everybody is clapping and smiling at us. Shouma takes a step back and we begin dancing; waltzing. The spotlight is on us. I turn my eyes towards Shouma's. He steals a glance at my cleavage, partly visible through my V-neck. I say,  
"Found what you were looking for?"  
He smiles,  
"I am hoping that I already have what I am looking for"  
"And what is that?"  
"Your heart"  
I can't help smiling. Shouma and his suave tongue. He says the most alluring things which can make any girl blush, but not me. I feel like laughing. I say,  
"This is just our second private meeting, Mr. Wataya"  
"Second date, you mean?"  
I say as he swivels me around,  
"Nope. I had told you that we are not dating. And you agreed not to refer to it as dating"  
He looks around and then back at me,  
"These people seem to think otherwise"  
I look around and everyone is smiling or clinking their glasses. I ask Shouma,  
"What do you mean?"  
"They expect us to kiss, Miss Sanzenin"  
I roll my eyes,  
"Where are we? On the Titanic? I don't think that is what's going on"  
"Just for the sense of decorum, we could display a chaste caress"  
"I don't think so", I say. Is it getting hot in here? Must be because of all the stares or something.

Shouma says,  
"Come on, Nagi. It's just a kiss"  
"If it's 'just a kiss', let it go. It can't be that important"  
"You don't understand"  
I say,  
"I told you we are not dating. Even if we were, it would be too early for something like this"  
"My friends and family is watching"  
"So what?"  
"You are embarrassing me in front of them"  
"Whoa. Did you tell them we were going to kiss and stuff? That's stupid of you, okay?"  
He holds my waist tighter. I flinch a bit. He takes a deep breath,  
"I-I would appreciate it very much if you did not humiliate me in front of everyone. Now…"  
"Humiliate?", I frown, "Shouma, you might be a nice guy and everything. But, I do not like you that way. Why are you getting all worked up about a kiss? Ah!"  
A gasp escapes my mouth as he holds me tighter and leans in closer. He whispers,  
"Kiss"  
"I said, I won't do this"  
I try to get out of his grip. But, he is too strong for me. What the heck is wrong with him? He glares at me,  
"I did not ask for your permission, Nagi"  
"Haya…", I stop midway when I realize what I am about to say. I won't. I won't call his name for help. I swallow,  
"Shouma, please. I don't like this"  
"What do you like then? That poor rat for a butler?"  
I look up at Shouma,  
"Keep him out of this"  
He smirks,  
"Did he keep himself out of you? Oh, is that why you fired the pauper, Nagi? That sniveling cretin is not around anymore to…"  
**SLAP!** I hear people gasping in shock as Shouma puts a hand to his right cheek, just where I slapped him. I jerk his hand away from my waist and seethe,  
"Don't ever, ever say his name from your filthy tongue ever again, Wataya"

People sigh and gasp in horror as I storm out of the mansion. I don't care enough to look at them. My SPs who were waiting outside the mansion follow me quickly as I walk to the limo. A guard closes the door as I sit inside. That will teach Shouma a lesson. I smile proudly for protecting my 'honor' like that. This what a girl should do – stand up for herself. I am good. I should keep smiling like this. I did something to be proud of. There's no need for me to have a mighty butler by my side anymore. I look at the window pane and a face comes into sight. The same honest smile, the same truthful eyes and the same soothing voice, it echoes,  
_"All you have to do is - say my name"_  
I break into tears soon enough as the truth hits me, the truth being the only reason I discouraged Shouma's advances and slapped him for insulting someone I used to know. I close my eyes as the apparition disappears and the tears spread across my face,  
_'I am sorry, Hayate. So sorry. But, I still love you'_


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello! Have I told you before that I squeal in joy when someone responds to this story? Okay, I haven't. But, I have received such wonderful feedback for this fic and I am very, very grateful for that. When I had published the first chapter of this story, I was not a part of the Hayate the Combat Butler fandom. But now, I am an avid fan of Nagi Sanzenin and the pair Nagi & Hayate. All thanks to the amazing Hayate x Nagi fans out there, including you! :)  
This chapter is from the OC Shouma's perspective. I couldn't resist using a quote from a popular Marvel movie as it goes very well with Shouma's _'feelings'_ for Nagi. :D  
Till now, I focused on the 'drama' content of this story. But, the tears will need to be held back for now as the end of this chapter marks the beginning of betrayal, pain and a lot of tragedies which you don't see in the canon. Yes, I purposefully chose the 'drama' genre for this romance, because I wanted to explore the more serious aspects of the show/manga. I hope that you will like and/or review this chapter. Thank you once again. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Hayate the Combat Butler or its characters.

* * *

_Shouma (about Nagi & Hayate): I will just have to tear the lovely couple apart, I believe. That would be a piece of cake. [Shouma is not a canon character]_

* * *

**Shouma Speaks…  
**

"Nagi Sanzenin?", I glanced at the buxom blonde walking to the English class, followed by a man-boy in a butler uniform. I asked Kozo,  
"Who is the pauper?"  
"Miss Sanzenin's butler – Hayate Ayasaki", Kozo replied. I saw the girl entering the class and the butler following her inside. I said,  
"Is he a student too, Kozo?"  
"Yes, Master"  
"And is he just a butler to Miss Sanzenin?"  
"I believe so, Master. But, Miss Sanzenin is said to be very close to him"  
"How close?"  
"There are rumors that he is Miss Sanzenin's lover"  
I smirked,  
"Those rumors will vanish in thin air soon, won't they?"  
He smiled warmly,  
"Of course, Master. Would you like my humble assistance on this matter?"  
I straightened my shirt collar and smiled,  
"That's generous of you, Kozo. But, wooing a lady is my field of expertise, I believe"

That was two years ago. I had seen Nagi in the class many times. Like all the other girls did to me, I had expected her also to walk up to me and ask me for a date. But, she never did so. What captivated my interest and attention was her ignorance towards me, whether feigned or not. She was astoundingly different than all the other girls I had ever met. Beautiful and classy like a lady, yet scorching hot as a tigress. It is no wonder that she was and is still desired by many. Despite of being sought after so very much, she was extremely impassive towards everyone's advances. And the way she tossed her hair in denial… I wanted her. I lusted for her. It was not just her ravishing beauty, but her sassy approach towards everything. She seemed like she owned the world. And what could be more fun than owning her, than taming the shrew? But, it would be a pity if she were to be tamed. A tamed tigress would become a lamb. I am no shepherd. I wanted the tigress… every bit of her.

I have never failed at pursuing a woman, not once. And I was sure that chasing Nagi Sanzenin would be completely worth all the hard work. To make her mine, I would have to win her over with my kindness as well. So, I lunged into battle headstrong. To my early disappointment, there was a huge boulder in my way. It was Ayasaki – Nagi's butler. Maybe he caught an earful of my reputation as a womanizer. What was it to him anyway? But, the butler took it upon himself to make sure I never availed of an opportunity to charm Nagi. Over time, I learnt of the butler and his Mistress' affair. So, the rumors were true. It was no wonder that Nagi gave her rare smile only to the rascal. Still, giving up was never an option. I wanted her more than anything and I would have her. Like never, I spent sleepless nights fantasizing about her. My desire to have her, to devour her was growing rapidly. I tried relentlessly to charm her, but all my efforts would be turned to none by the butler's intervention. In front of my own eyes, the cretin would give me a stern glance, Nagi would lock her arm with his and they would walk away. And I stood there, my resolve to have Nagi Sanzenin growing stronger with every passing moment.

You would say I am obsessed. Indeed, I am not. What is so wrong with having an unbreakable determination to acquire a piece of beauty? That is precisely what art collectors do. But, the best part of it is eyeing your prize after you have achieved it. Holding the reward in your hands, caressing the fleshy treasure and savoring every incredible inch of the possession which you have acquired with great effort – oh, the glory and pleasure. The breathing, ecstatically attractive and alluring wonder, Nagi Sanzenin, had become my greatest ambition ever. She was driving me to the verge of madness with her opulent curves, her swaying locks and her indifferent eye. I wished to enjoy the thrill of the chase, the hunt, but the butler never let me. He was always in the way whenever I tried to approach Nagi. To my utter disbelief and surprise, all the highly skilled and trained assassins I hired to get the butler out of the way failed miserably. It never deterred me from my quest though.

After a long passage of time, the greatest opportunity finally stepped out of my dreams and became a reality. Nagi fired her butler for reasons unknown. My informants told me that she fired him because his debt to her was paid. I knew in my mind that it was a convenient cover to hide the truth. Nagi fired him because she learned that her ever faithful boyfriend cum butler never loved her. That was all I needed to know. The iron was hot and I had to strike. Nagi was vulnerable and possibly, lovelorn. She agreed to spend time with me. Thus, being the born cold blooded charmer I am, I put all my efforts into making her mine. It would be a foolish move to make her get over the loss of her butler. Instead, I could use it effectively to my advantage. I could tug at the scab she was trying to form over her wound. The pain would force her to seek refuge in someone else than her beloved butler. And who could that someone else be other than the sole heir to the Wataya fortune expanding over seven seas? Cruel, you would say. Well, I have always played to win. And I need to be victorious at all costs, by either hook or crook.

All was going well. But, my fervent advances put off Nagi. If only I had not given in to the domineering vile beast within me, she would have my mark by now. It was not the ruined fun. It was neither the reluctance on her part nor the reification of my hidden urges. It was the shame. The shame she brought upon me by a hateful stroke of her gentle palm. It didn't seem nearly gentle enough when she struck me on my face. She insulted me in front of all the people whom I had forced to worship me. She dared to call me 'filthy' in the presence of a multitude of modern day nobles. She said it with as much conviction as possible for a little bitch like her. My dream of making Nagi Sanzenin MY little bitch withered in a fraction of a second. It was replaced by the feeling I knew and fondled too well – revenge. No one in the emptiness of this far and beyond universe, no one has the guile and gut to refuse me what I want. I remember killing my own twin when I became old enough to realize that he would be in the way of my claim as the only heir to the abundant Wataya treasure chest. It was, in actual, a job done very well. And then my mother. She was lovely. Although I had ordered for her corpse to be thrown to sharks, I respected her for a long time until she was murdered for my sake. Well, Mother should have known better than calling me a thief for leading an enormous illegal transaction of hordes of money from my father's Swiss Bank account to mine.

Is that the kind of end I want for Nagi Sanzenin? I am afraid, not. Nagi had a wonderful opportunity. If she had proved worthy, I would have made her a queen. But, she chose to shun me and defend her slave. She hit where I hurt the worst – my pride. She believes that she can get away buoyantly after slandering me, after smacking me in my handsome face. Poor Nagi. She is terribly wrong. She deserves much more detailed plotting and scheming and a grander punishment. I plan on delivering it with my own hands. She is special, after all.

My faithful old butler, Kozo, appears in my study soon. He bows,  
"What can I do for you, Master?"  
"I have written a letter for Miss Nagi Sanzenin. I need you to make sure that she receives it and believes that it is from her ex-employee, Hayate Ayasaki"  
Kozo looks at me, his wrinkled face dripping of apprehension. He dutifully takes the letter I hand to him. He asks,  
"M-master, would you mind if I read it briefly?"  
"Of course, I would not", I gesture with my hand. Kozo begins reading the letter. As expected, he seems unsure and helpless. He asks,  
"I have always wondered, Master. Why Miss Sanzenin? You could have and have had any other girl you wanted"  
I answer calmly,  
"Yes, Kozo. That's precisely it… because I can have any other girl I want"  
Kozo stands still for a moment, with the letter in his gloved hands and his head drooping low. The old man seems to have estimated my intentions. I ask,  
"Is there a problem, old friend?"  
He shakes his head feebly. I can clearly see the fear of the nearing storm etching his features. He bows after a moment of thought and says,  
"Your will shall be done, Master"

I have told you. It was the shame. And the shame she inflicted upon me will guide me in killing Nagi Sanzenin. Her love for the butler was going to kill her eventually. I might as well hasten it in my own way. This is going to be very exciting indeed. Oh, Nagi, the things you do to me…


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hello, my darlings! ^_^  
I am sorry that it took me so long to update this story. I was hospitalized, I had unattended school work piled up and I was busy. But, feck it all, I say. The next update will be around 20th October. I have my semester exams before that. And, thank you very much for being patient with me. You are the best readers anyone could get. :3

* * *

_Maria: Nagi trusts Hayate. It's the first time I have seen her have utter and blind faith in someone._

* * *

**[Maria speaks…] **

I move away from the table and take a good look at it. _'Spick and span'_, I think proudly. I take another step backwards and almost stumble into an ancient vase on a column. "Oops!", I exclaim and reach out to stop it from falling. Thankfully, it doesn't fall and stays put in my hand. But, god, it's rather weighty! I carefully place it where it was before. As I stand here in this empty room, I cannot help but observe the haunting silence that surrounds not only me, but the entire Sanzenin Mansion. My sudden exclamation echoed thrice in broad daylight. There's no one around, hence no noise. Nagi is in her room, Tama is outside in the garden and Hayate… is gone. Poor Hayate. I sigh and move on to the kitchen to carry out my next chore.

The stew is almost done and the apple pie is coming out nicely. It has been days since I have had a chance to make a sumptuous meal all by myself. Usually, it is Hayate who cooks all the delicacies. I guess I have to get used to his absence and the presence of my new helper, Sonata.  
"Did you call me, Miss Maria?", she appears in the door. I shake my head slightly,  
"I did not"  
She shrugs,  
"Whatever. I am cleaning the library in case you need me"  
I smile with much effort,  
"Of course"  
She leaves immediately, to my relief. This girl is such a pain. She is lazy, arrogant and incessantly annoying. Moreover, she never relies on valuable suggestions provided by anyone, me included. Just now, she said that she was cleaning the library (which she _does_ every day, all day long). But I didn't see a single speck of dust on her uniform. I wonder what she actually does there all the time. Such issues never arose with Hayate. He was honest and very dedicated to his work. He told me many times that he loved his job. And it was so good to have him around. If it were not for him, I don't think that Nagi would be the person she is today. Now that I think of it, in a way, they both saved each other. I believe they are made for each other. I cannot think of something else which would make me happier than seeing Nagi finally married to him and having a happily-ever-after. Alas, I cannot convince her to take him back. Though unintentionally, Hayate literally broke her heart. It is not easy for her to forgive him. Reminiscing about the good old times when these two were together, I start putting some final touches to the food.

"Who is it?", Nagi calls from inside her room. I stop knocking and say gently,  
"It's me – Maria. Time for your lunch, Miss Nagi"  
"Thanks, but I am not hungry. So, go away"  
"Nagi, please, come on. I made your favorite pie"  
"I don't want it, Maria. Just go"  
She has been like this lately. Whenever she is at home, she sits in her room all day, God knows, reading what. It's as if she is the same twelve-year old brat again. I say loudly,  
"Very well then. I will ask Hayate to see to you"  
I bite my tongue on impulse as I realize what I just said. How could I forget that he is not here anymore?! This has happened for the first time in all these days. I must apologize. I hastily say,  
"Nagi, I am very so…"  
The door opens and I see Nagi standing in front of me with her hand on the doorknob. I open my mouth to continue with my apology but she says with a deadpan voice,  
"He is not here, Maria. He doesn't belong here. I don't need him or anyone else to tell me what's good for me"  
She walks away to the dining room without another word. I look gloomily at her from behind,  
_'He does belong here, Nagi, with you'_

Soon comes dusk and I prepare for bed time. It has been a tiresome day and all I want to do at the moment is dump myself in the bed and succumb to sleep. I am on my way to the room when a guard comes in. He says,  
"Miss Maria?"  
I stop and look at him,  
"What is it so late in the evening?"  
He hands me an envelope,  
"Someone threw this in the compound, tied to a bamboo stalk. It was tied with this"  
He hands me a lengthy piece of cloth. I take it in my hands and examine it. My eyebrows arch up,  
"This is Hayate's bow tie"  
The guard clears his throat,  
"I thought the same and it was addressed to Lady Nagi. So, I…"  
"Thank you, Furo, you can go now", I turn around, reading the envelope.  
Furo says before he walks out,  
"Good night, Miss Maria"

I occupy a seat at the drawing room table and open the envelope carefully. This is fairly unexpected. But, this is Hayate's handwriting. And I am reading this only because Nagi has said that she doesn't want to read or see or hear anything pertaining to him.  
"What do you want, Hayate?", I mutter and start reading the letter.

_'Dear Mistress,  
I know that you don't wish to have anything to do with me. And I am fairly responsible for that. But, I cannot take this any longer. I miss you dearly. I don't wish to hurt you anymore. And that is why, I…' _

"What are you reading, Maria?", I freeze instantly as I hear Nagi's voice over my shoulder. I get up quickly and hide the letter behind myself in my hands. I say,  
"What are you doing up at this time? I thought, you went to bed"  
Nagi looks at me doubtfully and glances towards the table. Oh, god. I left Hayate's bow tie there. Nagi's eyes widen and she says,  
"What are you reading?"  
"It's nothing. Just a formal invitation to…"  
"Give it to me, Maria"  
I put on my most hostile face and take a deep breath,  
"Nagi, you said yourself that you didn't want to be associated with anything related to him. I… hey! What are you doing? Nagi!"  
She snatches the letter away from me and starts reading. I can do nothing but look upon her surprised face. Her scowl turns into a surprised grim and her hold on the letter tightens. I say,  
"What is it? I read it only halfway. And that too because you didn't want anything to do…"  
Before I can say anything else, Nagi tears the letter in four and throws the pieces in the bin. She walks away with the same stern expression she has had since the last few days.

'_What have you done, silly girl?'_, I think and wait impatiently for her to disappear into the distance. As soon as she does, I go through the contents of the bin. I find the four torn pieces quite easily. I put them together and read from where I left off...

_'…that is why, I wrote this goodbye. A man, who makes you cry, doesn't deserve to live. Now that you do not care about me, there is nothing left for me to live in this world. I do have a last favour to ask of you though. It is my last wish to see your beautiful face before I die. If you believe our love is worthy of it, please come to the waterfalls near Shiranou, 18 km away from East Tokyo. My hopes are high. Please, Mistress. I will wait till 7:00 am. _

_Yours forever,  
Hayate'_

'Unbelievable' doesn't suffice. I sit back against the chair. This cannot be true. Hayate would never write something like that. Or could he? And why did Nagi just throw it away like she didn't care? God, my head is spinning.

I have to take an aspirin before I go to bed. As I lie next to the now asleep Nagi, I ponder,  
_'Hayate is not the kind of person who would issue suicide threats. But, he looked really depressed the other day in the market. And the guards say that he has tried to enter the mansion countless times since he was fired. Even Nagi threw away the letter. That means she doesn't believe it. Could it be a hoax? Why would someone do that? It was Hayate's handwriting, no doubt, but the grammar was too impeccable. That can't be Hayate's doing. I will send some guards tomorrow morning to Hayate's apartment. This is… fishy. Extremely'_

I yawn without opening my eyes and stretch my arms. I turn onto the other side to check on Nagi. What I see is an empty bed. I sit up straight. She is nowhere in the room. Maybe she is in the bathing room. I walk to the bathroom and knock,  
"Nagi, are you in there?"  
No response. Strange. She must be outside. I remember that I have to send some guards to Hayate's apartment. I still have not gotten over that suspicious feeling the letter produced. Wh… what? I try to open the door but it's locked. Bloody… I tug at the doorknob with all my might. I shout,  
"Nagi? Let me out at once! Who locked the door? Open it!"  
No one responds. What is she up to? I look for the telephone in the room but someone cut the cable! What is going on?! I frantically run to the window but it's locked from outside too. To my surprise, I see Nagi getting into a car heading out of the mansion. I call to her but my voice can't be heard, obviously.  
"Nagi! Nagi! Someone get me out of here! Tojo! Somebody stop Miss Nagi! Nagi!"  
This is not good. This is bad. This is very, very bad.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hello! I have been waiting to publish this chapter for so long. It seems a bit imperfect to me, but I promise it will come as a surprise to you. And, as you must have guessed, Shiranou is fictional. Thank you very much for all your reviews and support. Readers, daisuki! :3

Disclaimer: I do not own Hayate The Combat Butler! or its characters. I own a scooter, you wanna sue me for that?

* * *

_Nagi: __Mother, it's been eight years since you passed away. I have someone I love. We fight often, but we're enjoying our days together. I don't think I'll be joining you for a while, so please watch over me as the stars and the sky. Always… and forever. _

* * *

**[Nagi speaks…]**

"Stop", I say and hurry out of the car. I say to the driver,  
"I am visiting a friend and I will be back soon. Don't wait here and don't tell anyone where I went. Not even Maria. Is that clear?"  
He nods and I signal him to drive away. I turn around and observe the place. It's a less urban part on the outskirts of Tokyo. There are only a few shops in sight and only some of them are open. Maybe I should ask someone where the waterfalls are. There it is. There is a board that says: _Shiranou Waterfalls Ahead._I walk with haste in its direction. An old man is doing guard duty inside the guard post. I am just hoping that he doesn't ask me to pay for a ticket or something. I don't have any money with me. I walk to his post and find him to be fast asleep, to my relief.  
There are so many stairs here. They probably lead to the waterfall. I take one step at a time, very cautiously. As I go down further, the stairs seem more wet and slippery. Why would Hayate ask me to meet him in such a godforsaken place? _'Hayate'_, I think about him and my steps become quicker.

My Hayate wrote me a letter. He said that he can't live without me. I can't let him do anything to himself. He is too precious. I am going to stop him from killing himself. I can't let him die. And when he comes to his senses, **I am going to give him a tight slap across his face!** How dare he even dream of suicide?! Doesn't he know what he means to me?! That stupid, stupid, idiotic Hayate! I sniff and wipe my tears away as I proceed towards the top of the waterfalls.

When we were together, he never said anything and now he goes ahead and writes a love letter. That too about his suicide! He is going to regret this. Once we get out of here, I am going to put him under 24-hour surveillance and take him to a psychiatrist. I just… He can't die! He doesn't even deserve to think of dying. I have to stop him.  
"Huh!", I stop midway when I hear a shrill cry of a bird. It is harsh. And it echoes. Could it be a giant eagle with talons who is trying to take Hayate away? That could happen. Anything could happen. What am I thinking? That cannot happen. I shake my head and keep walking but I hear the same cry again.  
"Oh no", I mutter and hurry down the stairs. I am coming to help you, Hayate. I am not going to let anything happen to you. Impatiently, I keep moving.

"Hayate! Hayate!", by this time, I am calling out for him as loud as I can. I run down the wet stairs without any hesitation. The bird keeps screaming and his wailing is just making me shiver. "Hayate!", I scream at the top of my lungs. I hope he can hear me. Wiping my tears and doing my best not to fall off the stairs, I keep running.  
"Ah!", I gasp as the bird shrieks again. But this time, his voice sort of dies out. I… I don't know what is going on. I keep moving and I see that there are only a few stairs remaining to reach the waterfall. I am almost there. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I frantically look around for Hayate. I call,  
"Hayate! Where are you? Hayate!"  
I run around looking for him. There is no one around. There are some trees and I have to admit, the top of this waterfall is quite a stretch. And the current of the water is too strong. I hope I am not late and Hayate hasn't… No! I run over to the other end but my feet come to a dead stop and I cover my mouth in shock. A dead eagle lies just a foot away from me. It is bleeding and its… its organs have been taken out. I feel nauseous. But, I can't turn back now. I close my eyes, cover my nose and mouth, and keep moving forward. When I am well past the stench, I open my eyes and call for Hayate again,  
"Hayate! It's me! Are you here?"  
A silver luster catches my eye and I stop. It is a sword… and there is blood on it. I look up in horror at the person holding the sword. He wipes the sword clean with a piece of cloth. I recognize his voice as soon as he says,  
"I hate it when some intruder disturbs our tryst"  
Shouma…

* * *

**[Maria speaks…]**

"Send as many of our men as possible to the Shiranou waterfalls. Tojou, ready the car. You are coming with me to Hayate-kun's residence. Hurry, everyone", I instruct Nagi's SPs as soon as Tojou breaks me out of Nagi's room. I hastily change into my maid uniform once they're gone. My mind is full of dangerous thoughts at the moment. What if that letter was drafted by some kidnapper and not Hayate? What if Hayate is really going to commit suicide? What if Nagi is in a danger far more disastrous than I can imagine? With all these unnerving ideas in mind, I sit with Tojou in the car headed towards Hayate's apartment.

"It is out of Tokyo. Use your GPS", Tojou talks on the phone.  
I am having trouble breathing. A feeling of dread lies heavy on my chest. I say,  
"I have a very bad feeling about this, Tojou"  
He says,  
"Don't worry, Miss Maria. The guards will be at the waterfalls in ten minutes. I… Excuse me"  
He answers a call,  
"Yes? What? Well, get out of there. Reroute. No-no… Uh huh, yes. Okay. Try to get out of there and meet me at the location in T-30 minutes. That's the limit. Quick"  
"What happened?"  
He looks at me apologetically,  
"Our guards are stuck in a heavy traffic on one of the bridges. There is no way out for them. We will have to reach Shiranou first"  
"Oh god", I slump further in the seat. If anything happens to Nagi, I will never forgive myself.

"Stop, stop!", Tojou asks the driver to halt the car and sprints out of it. I follow him in confusion to see that he is running towards Hayate. Hayate stops walking to turn around and look at us both in surprise. Tojou says to him,  
"You have to come with us"  
"What happened?", Hayate asks. I say,  
"Did you send a suicide note to Nagi asking her to visit you at the top of the Shiranou waterfalls?"  
"Shira-what? Why would I send her a suicide note? What happened? What are you talking about?", Hayate looks as confused and scared as I. This does it. My legs give away.  
"Miss Maria!", Tojou and Hayate keep me from fainting. I murmur,  
"Nagi is in danger, Hayate. Something bad is going to happen to her. I can sense it"

* * *

**[Nagi speaks…]**

"What are you doing here?", I ask Shouma.  
He smiles maliciously,  
"I was waiting for you. But the silly bird over there kept interrupting me as I hummed Amazing Grace"  
Oh, god. He… he is disgusting. How could he do that to the poor bird?! I take a step back but say,  
"Why are you here?"  
My eyes widen as the possibility strikes me,  
"What have you done with Hayate?!"  
Shouma shifts his weight from one foot to another,  
"I have not done anything to him. Yet. But, I will. Soon. Rest assured. He will not die of suicide", and winks at me.  
I cannot believe this. It wasn't Hayate who wrote the letter! I am shaking but I manage to say,  
"Y-you wrote that letter?"  
"Well, duh, Nagi", he shrugs, "So, without further ado, let us start our date. First of all, I intend to strip you of any decency or shame that you have. And of your ego too, apparently. Then…"  
I turn around to run away from him but he jumps right in front of me. I move away from him backwards, with a quivering voice, I say,  
"Shouma, let me go"  
He keeps walking towards me and I keep walking away from him. He eyes me from top to toe,  
"You look so fine with your clothes on. What do you look like without them? Hm. We will see. Now"  
He pulls me towards himself by the wrists. I squirm and struggle to get away from him, but he is too strong. Crying helplessly, I scream,  
**"HAYATE! SAVE ME!" **

* * *

**[Maria speaks…]**

"Are we there yet?", I ask impatiently. My head hits Tojou's shoulders as Hayate drives the car at full speed without caring for any traffic rules. The driver sits next to him, as bothered as us. Hayate keeps driving the car as fast as he can. All I can do in this moment is to pray for Nagi to be safe.

It takes us less than ten minutes to reach the Shiranou waterfalls. I get out of the car and look around. The backup SPs have not arrived yet. And the guard post here is useless too. I look back at the car but Hayate is already halfway the flight of stairs. Tojou and I follow him hurriedly. But, he is too fast to keep up with. He is running down the stairs as if his life depends on it. He halts for a brief second when a voice echoes… It's Nagi… She is calling out for him. She is here! Hayate gets out of my sight as Nagi's cry for help spurs him to move faster.

I reach the top of the waterfalls with Tojou to see Hayate glaring at Wataya-kun.  
"Hayate!", Nagi is there too! But she is stopped by Wataya-kun when she tries to get to Hayate. I whisper to Tojou,  
"We are in desperate need for backup. Wataya-kun seems scarily different today. Do something, Tojou"  
He whispers back,  
"This is a hostage situation, Miss Maria. We will have to negotiate with him. The rest of the guards will be here in five minutes. And…"  
Hayate says to Wataya-kun,  
"Let her go"  
He replies,  
"I do not take orders from anyone. Especially, not from low life roaches such as you, butler"  
My heart beats rapidly with every passing second. Tojou says to Wataya,  
"Let her go, Mister. There are over a hundred men at the top of those stairs on their way down here. You have no other option"  
Wataya casts a grim glance towards us and then towards Hayate,  
"Brought an army, did you? What else could be expected from a puny coward?"  
He stops Nagi again by pushing her back in place. I can see Hayate's fists tighten. Wataya smiles,  
"I was hoping to have a little fun with this lovely pet. But, your timing, as always, is to be held at fault, butler. I have no other option now but to…"  
I gasp to see Wataya draw a big, broad katana from his scabbard. Hayate adopts his fighting stance on seeing the sword. But Hayate is unarmed! To my surprise, Wataya displays a cunning smile and says,  
**"As of today, I bring the life of that unhappy Nagi Sanzenin to an end"**

The very ground beneath my feet trembles and I feel paralyzed. Right in front of my eyes, Wataya stabs Nagi in the stomach with the katana. Her eyes enlarge in shock as the blade enters her body. Wataya penetrates the poor girl's stomach mercilessly with the sword. He pulls it out, all bloody, with raw savagery. Nagi stumbles back, still in pain and shock. She casts one longing ook at Hayate and falls off the cliff. I am left motionless and brain dead as Hayate's deafening scream echoes,  
**"MISTRESS!"**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Thank you so much for your generous response to this fic! I am very happy with the way this story is going. And don't blame me; I had warned you that the very tone of this story is grave and tragic. :P  
I have never read or seen Hayate's special attack. So, I described it with my own imagination. And I don't like leaving a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter. It makes me feel like I am writing a cheap detective novel, no offence. I hope that you like this chapter even though I think it's a bit… dry. Thank you. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Hayate the Combat Butler or its characters.

* * *

**[Maria speaks…]**

I cannot move. I cannot speak. I can only feel – terror. My eyes are aghast and my heartbeat has decelerated like a dead man's footsteps. _'My precious little Nagi…'_  
I can feel someone's strong hand holding my shoulder as I go limp. "Down here! Get over here!", it is Tojou, calling to the SPs. Wataya stands as before, his blade drawn still, as if nothing happened. But there is so much blood on the sword… Nagi's blood. Dear God.  
"Miss Maria, get back. Let us handle the situation", Tojou is trying to make me walk out of there. I look at Hayate as I am being pulled away. He is kneeling down and looking over the edge of the cliff. His face is white with horror. Wataya leers at him,  
"And now, butler, it's your turn to…"  
"Ayasaki, watch out!", Tojou shouts. Before I can bat a lash, Hayate's gloomy expression changes to that of an unknown grimace. He holds Wataya's katana before he is struck with it, right above his head. There is something different about Hayate… I can barely see his eyes hidden by his hair. He sounds like a ghost,  
"You stabbed Miss Nagi"

We can only look in shock as Hayate rises, still holding the blade in his hand which is bleeding profusely. Wataya tries his best to pull the sword out of Hayate's hand. But the sweat on his forehead reaches the corner of his eye as his opponent stands to face him. Hayate says in an inhuman voice,  
"You stabbed _my mistress_"  
There is so much wind around us all of a sudden. Dry leaves and twigs are blowing in circles. What happens next produces a loud gasp from me and I cover my face. Hayate pounds Wataya into the very ground and the blood from his hand travels in air. almost reaching my face. I can hear the loud and painful groans of Wataya as Hayate beats him mercilessly. Tojou and I witness in fear the Hyde side of Hayate, bringing Wataya to justice with his fists and feet. I look behind as I hear collective footsteps coming to a pause. The rest of the SPs arrive. We watch in unison as Hayate batters Wataya barbarously. He doesn't say a word, just hits Wataya with inhumane savagery. Wataya can barely stand as Hayate lifts him in the air and is about to deliver another blow. Tojou says in a faltering voice,  
"A-Ayasaki, enough. Hand him over to us"  
Like a beast disturbed from his slumber, Hayate glares at Tojou who says,  
"This is not a solution, Ayasaki. You hit him once more, he will die. This is not going to bring Miss Sanzenin back. Just-just let him go. The police are on their way. We need to start looking for Miss Sanzenin now. Killing him won't bring her back"  
I can see Hayate's expression soften to some extent. His eyes are filled with tears as he says weakly,  
"You are right. This will not bring her back"  
The wind around us takes a ferocious form and begins blowing everything away as far as it can. It seems like we are trapped in a hurricane. But I know what it is when I look at Hayate and the half-dead Wataya,  
_'This is __**Hayate no Gotoku**__!'_  
I can feel a terrible kinetic impact which makes me shudder in place. All I can see is a gigantic whirlwind surrounding Hayate and Wataya. Everything goes white and I have to close my eyes to avoid the piercing intensity. And when I open them, I can see Hayate standing over Wataya's paralyzed body. As he lies at the feet of Hayate, his eyes look like they are going to pop out. His face is covered with blood flowing from his temple and his jaw. It is an appalling scene. I feel nauseated. But I have an honest urge to say that Satan has been conquered.

* * *

"We are sorry for your loss", another guest says as she leaves the funeral. I nod slightly. I have had a fever since three days and it has not subsided. I am sitting next to Mr. Mikado who is wiping away a fresh onset of tears. He mutters with gloominess uncharacteristic of him,  
"If she could see me like this, she would say 'Who's the one crying now, huh old man?'. But she can't, can she?"  
Mr. Mikado's nurses take him away to rest. He has grown so much older now. And all this has taken a huge toll on him.  
I wipe my own tears with my kerchief and observe the surroundings. Miss Sakuya, Miss Nishizawa, the Katsura sisters, Mr. Wataru, Miss Isumi – all of her friends are there, and they are all crying. Some are weeping; some are sniffing their tears away. But they are all affected by the death of Nagi Sanzenin.

There is a huge crowd in the Sanzenin estate today. Everyone has come to attend the funeral of 'the grandchild of Mr. Mikado'. Her friends have come to bid her goodbye. But the person whom she loved more than life itself is not here. She must have never thought that he would miss her funeral.

My head hurts and my already weakened body can't take this upright posture anymore. I am about to get up and go to the mansion when Miss Sakuya and Mr. Wataru walk to me. Miss Sakuya lays a hand on mine and takes the seat next to me. Mr. Wataru asks,  
"Any-any news about the body?"  
I shake my head negatively. Miss Sakuya asks,  
"What did the police say?"  
"They tried their best. Special elite teams were sent for the body search, but only a few pieces of her clothes were found. They say that the… corpse… must have been carried away with the water... and it must be completely mangled by now… because it fell… Oh god"  
"Maria, please", Miss Sakuya puts a hand on my shoulder as I break down. I have been trying to put on a brave face and pretend that Nagi's passing can be overcome in time, but it can't. It can't. She was so young and she didn't deserve to die. She was my sister. Even though we had some hard times, I loved her. I miss her. I miss little Nagi.

Mr. Wataru takes a look around. He must have noticed. He asks me,  
"Where is Hayate?"  
"He is not here"  
"I can see that. Why is he not here?"  
"He…", I take a deep breath to sound sober, "He refuses to believe that Miss Nagi is dead. That's why he is not attending her funeral"  
"Well, he does have a point. We don't have Nagi's dead body as a proof of her death"  
"She was stabbed in her stomach with a katana and she fell off a cliff half the height of Deliana Falls. What are the odds?"  
He senses the hostility in my voice and grows silent. Miss Sakuya asks,  
"And what about that rascal Shouma?"  
"He is in a coma. The doctors have no hope of him recovering"  
"Is it true that Hayate did that to him?"  
"Rumor certainly has it"  
"But you would know. You were there, right?"  
"The lawyer we employed for Hayate says otherwise. I say otherwise too"  
Miss Sakuya smiles. She says,  
"I hope this lie does not weigh on your conscience. Shouma deserves it"  
Neither of us say a word for a while. Miss Isumi joins us soon. She seems pale. She says to me,  
"Hello, Maria"  
"Greetings, Miss Isumi"  
"How are you?"  
"Tired"  
"I am sorry"  
"It's a loss we share, don't be"  
"I haven't seen Hayate here"  
"He is not here"  
"He didn't want to attend Nagi's funeral?"  
"No. Because, according to him, she is not dead"  
"Why would he say that?"  
"The corpse has not been recovered", I add, "He searches for it himself everyday"  
Miss Isumi puts her hand to her mouth in surprise. Mr. Wataru muses,  
"I think, he needs some closure"  
"Desperately", I sigh.

Night falls and the Sanzenin mansion is silent again. I wander in the corridor like a yurei looking for her salvation. I am tired, but I haven't been able to sleep in the same bed I used to share with Nagi. Tonight onwards, I will be sleeping in a different room.  
I soon find myself walking to my new room. It has been the most disastrous week of my life and I could really use a good sleep; if not to revitalize myself, at least, to stop thinking about her.

The window sheds some moonlight on my face as I stir in my sleep. I look out of the window and I can see Nagi's memorial stone. I remember what it reads:  
"_Every morn and every night,  
some are born to sweet delight.  
Some are born to endless night._  
This is in the memory of Nagi Sanzenin (1995-2013) who was taken away from us at a tender age. She may have been gone, but her spirit is with us at all times.  
**R.I.P. Nagi Sanzenin**"

Why does she have to rest in peace? What did she do wrong to die so? She had her whole life ahead of her. This is not fair at all. Life is not fair. And so isn't death. But perhaps, they say it justly,  
_'Death is only a beginning'_.


End file.
